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Illusion and Reality in Latin Topographical Writing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 September 2009

Nicholas Horsfall
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Extract

From Cluverius and Holstenius, through Nissen and Hülsen to the distinguished contributors to the Quaderni dell' Istituto di Topografia antica, the study of Italian topography has achieved solid progress, sometimes with important consequences for military and economic history. New concords between battles and battlefields, between nameless sites and siteless names, continue to be proposed and the steady popularity of a subject involving archaeology, epigraphy, literary texts, and country walks is readily understandable: we must all be grateful for the very real improvements which continue to be made to our map of central Italy.

Type
Research Article
Information
Greece & Rome , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , October 1985 , pp. 197 - 208
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1985

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References

NOTES

1. Weiss, R., The Renaissance discovery of classical antiquity (Oxford, 1969), pp. 105Google Scholar ff. I am most grateful to Rene van Royen foi an invitation to lecture on this topic at the University of Amsterdam, and for his splendid hospitality; an element of áγώνισμα ές τò παραχρῆ৫μα has deliberately not been suppressed, but Lisa Fentress and Tim Cornell wisely insisted on some changes.

2. Some of the topographical material from an unpublished Oxford D.Phil, thesis on Aeneid 7 (1971Google Scholar) will shortly appear much altered in the Enciclopedia Virgiliana, ss.vv Laurentes, Nomentum, ortinae classes, Praeneste, Tetrica, Severus, Rosea rura, Velinus, Tevere.

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4. Rehm, B., Das geogr. Bild des alten Italien in Vergils Aeneis, Philologus supplbd. 24.2 (1932), 97Google Scholar; this admirable pamphlet remains much the best guide to the subject.

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19. See his note on Aen. 6.201 in Austin's commentary.

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21. But he refers forthwith to the harbour of New Carthage; see the commentaries of Con way and Austin ad loc.

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24. No conventional ‘veni vidi scripsi’ formula exists in the historians for economical attestation of autopsy.

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26. Gernentz, L., Laudes Romae (diss. Rostock, 1908), 1–70Google Scholar contains some matter of interest too.

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32. Op. cit. (n. 5), p. 169; cf. Evans, J. A. S., Vergilius 10 (1964), 12ff.Google Scholar; ivi et ipse; vidi; scripsi.

33. Cf. Woodman, loc. cit. (n. 25).

34. Ogilvie, R. M., Commentary on Livy Books 1–5, p. 720Google Scholaret passim; extended, Horsfall, , CJ 76 (1981), pp. 307fGoogle Scholar.

35. Op. cit. (n. 22), 51–2.

36. But such a conclusion did not escape Stefan Weinstock, RE vi A.1.833–5.

37. Horsfall, Enc. Virg. s.v. Laurentes, forthcoming, cf. Carcopino, op. cit. (n. 23), pp. 288ff., 355ff. Anderson, W. S., TAPA 88 (1957), 25Google Scholar.

38. It hardly needs repetition that the Borghese Palace at Pratica has contributed greatly to the seduction of the unwary.

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41. Cf. notably the admirable discussion in Bruckmann, H., Die röm. Niederlagen (Bochum, 1936)Google Scholar.

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43. From the Rhine to China: Klotz, A., Klio 24 (1931), 424ff., 434ffCrossRefGoogle Scholar., Brunt, P. A., JRS 53 (1963), 175Google Scholar; cf. MacMullen, R., Roman Government's response to crisis (New Haven, 1976), pp. 52fGoogle Scholar.

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45. To the references to Stürenburg (cf. n. 47) and Wistrand, Nach innen oder nach aussen? made at PBSR 50 (1982), 50Google Scholar n. 25, nothing further is as yet to be added.

46. DS 14.114; cf. Ogilvie, , op. cit. (n. 34), p. 718Google Scholar.

47. In Relative Ortsbezeicknung (Leipzig, 1934), pp. 31ffGoogle Scholar.

48. On ‘compass points’, cf. Kaibel, G., Hermes 20 (1885), 579ff.Google Scholar; on cartography, see most recently, Arnaud, P., MEFR(A) 95 (1983), 677ffCrossRefGoogle Scholar.

49. Griffin, J., JRS 66 (1976), 91Google Scholar, Smith, R. R. R., JRS 71 (1981), 28fGoogle Scholar.

50. Price, M. J. and Trell, B. L., Coins and their cities (London, 1977)Google Scholar.

51. Heurgon, J., JRS 41 (1951), 22ff.Google Scholar, cf. Sherk, R. K., ANRW ii.1, 560, 562Google Scholar.

52. Puteoli, , Ostrow, S. E., Puteoli 3 (1979), 77ff.Google Scholar, a reference for which I am indebted to Mr. N. Purcell; Alexandria: Picard, C., Latomus 18 (1959), 46fGoogle Scholar., Fraser, P., Ptolemaic Alexandria ii (Oxford, 1972), pp. 45ffGoogle Scholar.

53. Wiseman, T. P., Antiquaries Journal 61 (1981), 36fCrossRefGoogle Scholar.

54. At least all those reproduced in Ryberg, I. S., Rites of the State Religion in Roman Art, MAAR 22 (1955Google Scholar), Nash, E., Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome (London, 1961Google Scholar), and Dudley, D. R., Urbs Roma (London, 1967Google Scholar) have been considered.

55. Ward-Perkins, J. B. and Claridge, AmandaPompeii AD 79 (London, 1979Google Scholar) nos. 16, 17, Grant, M.Cities of Vesuvius (London, 1971), p. 26, et saepeGoogle Scholar.

56. Lugli, G., Il centro monumentale (Rome, 1946), p. 320Google Scholar, Helbig, Fūhrer..1 4 no. 1076, Castagnoli, F., BCAR 69 (1941), 59ffGoogle Scholar.

57. The painting, Schefold, , Wände, 12 (I.3. 23)Google Scholar, Grant, , op. cit. (n. 55), p. 73Google Scholar; the amphitheatre, see e.g. Grant, pp. 70–71.

58. Gombrich, E. H., Art and illusion (London, 1977), pp. 58ff.Google Scholar, a reference for which I am grateful to Miss Marie Leahy.